Spring then summer is the time of year when you start thinking about swim wear. I reviewed 1000 swimsuits for ladies on the internet. Here are my mature beauty tips for buying women’s swimwear styles that will defy your age and figure flaws best!

You don't have to be able to fit into a slinky two piece bikini like Jessica Biel and Cindy Crawford can. Yet take their style ideas straight to the one piece suit and look more gorgeous

Swimsuit shopping can be a time of dread for women over forty. Not all of us have celebrity figures. But you can make the most of your figure regardless of how in shape or fit you are. What I have noticed is that older women tend to perseverate on swimsuits that cover up and detract from flaws while totally ignoring the swimsuits that will actually make them look younger. I will have many more posts on swimsuit style yet I have to start somewhere. In this musing I will show a common look that does nothing in terms of anti-aging (and in fact make a women look older and frumpy). Then I show several two piece swimsuit looks with corresponding one piece bathingsuit alternatives that I think are dazzling and sexy looking while still being wearable by an older woman and also a plus sized women.

Why would a woman over forty look at Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition? Obviously such suits are too skimpy for the mature figure of most ladies. But, you can definitely learn something from looking at the swimsuit magazines and catalogs. Check out the styles and then try to find the same concepts in swimsuits that fit you. I found some of these swimsuits on line however I really don’t recommend buying swimsuits from online as they will likely result in having to make an annoying trip to UPS to return it when it doesn’t fit as expected.

Would you buy a swimsuit online without being able to try it on first?

The only way I would ever buy a swimsuit on line would be if I was already familiar with the designer that made it and knew for certain their swimwear looked good on me. If all you ever wear are Delta Burke swimsuits you might feel comfortable buying a Delta Burke swimsuit on line. For me personally though, I am not so sure I would risk it because returning things I’ve bought on the web (or anywhere) and trying to get my money back are toxic errands that waste time and money. I like to look at all the pictures online but most likely I would buy a swimsuit in the store when push came to shove. I prefer to try it on before buying to make sure it fits me well. Some swimwear is structured better (like Gottex swimwear) and it acts like a pseudo girdle. For women who want to hide lump and bumps, trying on the suit and checking the support are crucial. A large cup size is also a factor as women with a large cup need a suit that has good support in the bra too. If I was re-ordering a suit I loved or a close variation of it in the same brand anyways, I might shop online.

I like mostly solid color swimsuits with stand out details on them

I think that solid color swimsuits are generally more flattering to a larger figure than patterns. I do like the look of a basic black string bikini when I see it on a supermodel. However I have looked at thousands of plus size black one piece swimsuits. I’ve observed that if your body is larger than average, the plain black swimsuit can start to occupy too much real estate and it can end up look boring, dowdy and matronly.

Try to break off the pure black swimsuit and go for other strong tones that are jewel toned or earthy strong colors such as brown, grey, forest green, blue, burgundy, white, red etc. This will give the suit a little more of a splash of color. You’ll stand out more. Look for interesting details to the suit that add a visual interest and make it look sexy and expensive. The brown two piece swimsuit at left has that cool silver detail in the top and it’s being worn by celebrity Jessica Biel in that photograph. Small details differentiate it from the basic Speedo look. Take advantage of hoops, buckles, rings or string ties to add detail and a sexy edge.

I do not like women’s swimsuits with loud floral, geometric, or animal prints

I really do not like all over loud patterned swimsuits. I don’t think they are flattering on a mature woman’s figure and they don’t slenderize it. The blue floral pattern at center is too touristy and Hawaiian print for my tastes. The slightly tie dye red bottoms on the two piece model (actually it’s Cindy Crawford) is more tasteful. If you are going to go for a pattern look for an artistic subtle print as opposed to a really overwhelming floral, animal or geometric print. Also, look for a pattern on just part of the suit instead of all of it. The same goes for animal prints, avoid them unless they are only a small accent feature on an otherwise plain swimsuit fabric. Beachwear that has too bright and noisy patterns makes a woman look tacky and chubby as opposed to sexy and voluptuous. I don’t like tankini’s (a tankini is like a one piece suit that got separated at the waist into a top and bottom) because I think they look kind of weird.

Speaking of voluptuous, I like a little bit of cleavage showing with the swimsuit. I think a swimsuit top with a V-neck, halter straps, gathered or cool ruching adds sexiness to both bikini’s and one piece bathing suits while simultaneously taking unwanted attention away from potentially large hips, thighs, and buttocks. It’s what I would characterize as bait and switch where you draw focus to your positive assets and away from your negative ones. I like tops that enhance a woman’s feminine parts. The floral swimsuit at center has a boring neck line and does nothing to add sex appeal to the woman wearing it.

Hopefully these swimwear tips will help you find a fabulous swimsuit, even if you are too old or full figured to get into that bikini. Remember that solid colors in bright or jewel tones are really flattering. Small details like texture, buckles, and string ties add sexiness to a basic look. Enhance your best assets so as to detract attention from your problem areas.